Editing Communications in Afghanistan

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[[File:Stamp of Afghanistan - 1951 - Colnect 487673 - Buddha of Bamian.jpeg|right|thumb|[[Buddhas of Bamiyan|Bamiyan]] themed [[postage stamp]] (1951) issued by ''Postes Afghanes'' (Afghan Post)]]

'''Communications in Afghanistan''' is under the control of the [[Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Afghanistan)|Ministry of Communications and Information Technology]] (MCIT). It has rapidly expanded after the [[Presidency of Hamid Karzai|Karzai administration]] was formed in late 2001, and has embarked on [[Telephone numbers in Afghanistan|wireless companies]], [[Internet in Afghanistan|internet]], [[List of radio stations in Afghanistan|radio stations]] and [[Television in Afghanistan|television channels]].

The [[Afghan government]] signed a $64.5&nbsp;million agreement in 2006 with China's [[ZTE]] on the establishment of a countrywide [[optical fiber]] [[telecommunications network]]. The project began to improve telephone, internet, television and radio services throughout [[Afghanistan]]. About 90% of the [[demographics of Afghanistan|country's population]] had access to communication services by the end of 2013.<ref name="Khitab">{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2014/01/01/90pc-afghans-get-access-telecom-services/ |title=90pc of Afghans get access to telecom services |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |first=Muhammad Hassan |last=Khetab |date=January 1, 2014 |access-date=July 10, 2014}}</ref>

Afghanistan uses its own space [[satellite]] called [[Afghansat 1]]. There are about 18 million mobile phone users in the country. Telecom companies include [[Afghan Telecom]], [[Afghan Wireless]], [[Etisalat]], [[MTN Group|MTN]], [[Roshan (Telecom)|Roshan]], Salaam. Around 20% of the population has access to the Internet.<ref name="iws"/><ref name="World Bank"/><ref name="CIAWFAF"/>

==Internet==
{{Main|Internet in Afghanistan}}
[[File:Afghan man reading Wikipedia article in Kandahar.jpg|thumb|Internet user at [[Kandahar University]]]]
[[File:Flickr - The U.S. Army - Radio station gives voice to remote mountain province.jpg|right|thumb|Afghani [[radio personality|broadcaster]] on Kala Gush Radio sending communications out across [[Nuristan province]], Afghanistan]]
[[File:Shamshad TV studio in 2010.jpg|thumb|[[Shamshad TV]] studio began transmitting in 2005 and mainly broadcasts in [[Pashto]] language]]
[[File:TOLOnews Studio .jpg|thumb|Studio of [[TOLOnews]], a twenty-four hour Afghan news channel launched in August 2010, broadcasting from [[Kabul]], Afghanistan]]

Afghanistan was given legal control of the "[[.af]]" domain in 2003, and the Afghanistan Network Information Center (AFGNIC) was established to administer [[domain name]]s. The country has 327,000 IP addresses and around 6,000 [[.af]] domains.<ref name="The battle for control of Afghanistan’s internet">{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/afghanistan-taliban-internet |title=The battle for control of Afghanistan’s internet |publisher=Wired (magazine) |date=September 7, 2021 |access-date=2023-02-15}}</ref> [[Internet in Afghanistan]] is accessed by over 9 million users today.<ref name="iws">{{cite web|url=https://www.internetworldstats.com/asia.htm#af |title=Asia Internet Stats by Country and Population Statistics}}</ref> According to a 2020 estimate, over 7 million residents, which is roughly 18% of the [[demographics of Afghanistan|population]],<ref name="World Bank">{{cite web |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?locations=AF |title=Individuals using the Internet (% of population) |publisher=World Bank |date=2020 |access-date=2023-01-21}}</ref> had access to the internet.<ref name="CIAWFAF">{{cite web |title=Afghanistan |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/afghanistan/#communications |website=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |access-date=2020-10-12}}</ref> There are over a dozen different [[internet service provider]]s in Afghanistan.<ref name=mcit/>

==Postal service==
{{Further|Afghan Post|Postage stamps and postal history of Afghanistan}}
In 1870, a central post office was established at [[Bala Hissar, Kabul|Bala Hissar]] in Kabul and a post office in the capital of each province. The service was slowly being expanded over the years as more postal offices were established in each large city by 1918. Afghanistan became a member of the [[Universal Postal Union]] in 1928,<ref name="BBC News">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14806350 |title=Kabul: Streets with no names |access-date=September 30, 2011|work=BBC News|date=September 29, 2011}}</ref> and the postal administration elevated to the [[Afghan Ministry of Communications|Ministry of Communication]] in 1934.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afghanpost.gov.af/about.htm|title=afghanpost.gov.af{{Snd}} About}}</ref> Civil war caused a disruption in issuing official stamps during the 1980s–90s war<ref name=fabio>{{cite web|url=http://digilander.libero.it/fabioalarici/a.html|title=Postal Authorities A}}</ref> but in 1999 postal service was operating again. Postal services to/from Kabul worked remarkably well all throughout the war years. Postal services to/from Herat resumed in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/stamps.html|title=Afghanistan @ Stamps|access-date=April 5, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424040251/http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/stamps.html|archive-date=April 24, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Afghan government has reported to the UPU several times about illegal stamps being issued and sold in 2003 and 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upu.int/philately/en/2003/002_upu_circular_en.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041216052127/http://www.upu.int/philately/en/2003/002_upu_circular_en.pdf |archive-date=2004-12-16 |url-status=live|title=2003 UPU Circular}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upu.int/philately/en/2007/177_upu_circular_en.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911074652/http://www.upu.int/philately/en/2007/177_upu_circular_en.pdf |archive-date=2008-09-11 |url-status=live|title=2007 UPU Circular}}</ref>

Afghanistan Post has been reorganizing the postal service in 2000s with assistance from [[Pakistan Post]].<ref name=fabio/> The Afghanistan Postal commission was formed to prepare a written policy for the development of the postal sector, which will form the basis of a new postal services law governing licensing of postal services providers. The project was expected to finish by 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcit.gov.af/Documents/RunningProjects/AfghanPost.pdf|title=Afghanistan Postal commission}}</ref>

==Radio==
{{Further|List of radio stations in Afghanistan}}
[[Radio broadcasting]] in Afghanistan began in 1925 with [[Radio Kabul]] being the first station. The country currently has over 200 [[AM broadcasting|AM]], [[FM broadcasting|FM]] and [[shortwave radio|shortwave]] radio stations.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/attack-mediajournalists-182046 |title=Ministry: 200 Radio Stations On Air, 44 Shut Down For Lack of Funds |work=TOLOnews |date=February 13, 2023 |access-date=2023-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Around 123 radio networks stop functioning nationwide|url=https://pajhwok.com/2023/02/13/around-123-radio-networks-stop-functioning-nationwide/|work=Pajhwok Afghan News|date=February 13, 2023|access-date=2023-02-16}}</ref> They broadcast in [[Dari]], [[Pashto]], English, [[Uzbek language|Uzbeki]] and a number of other languages.<ref name="Archived copy"/>

== Satellite ==
{{Main|Afghansat 1}}
In January 2014 the Afghan Ministry of Communications and Information Technology signed an agreement with [[Eutelsat]] for the use of satellite resources to enhance deployment of Afghanistan's national broadcasting and telecommunications infrastructure as well as its international connectivity. [[Afghansat 1]] was officially launched in May 2014, with expected service for at least seven years in Afghanistan. The Afghan government plans to launch Afghansat 2 after the lease of Afghansat 1 ends.<ref name="Afghanistan's maiden satellite launched">{{cite news |title=Afghanistan's maiden satellite launched |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/05/10/afghanistan%E2%80%99s-maiden-satellite-launched |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |first=Muhammad Hassan |last=Khetab |date=May 10, 2014 |access-date=May 10, 2014 |archive-date=December 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230135240/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/05/10/afghanistan%E2%80%99s-maiden-satellite-launched |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Telephone==
{{Further|Telephone numbers in Afghanistan}}
According to 2013 statistics, there were 20,521,585 [[GSM]] mobile phone subscribers and 177,705 [[code division multiple access|CDMA]] subscribers in Afghanistan.<ref name=mcit>{{cite web|url=http://atra.gov.af/en/page/telecom-statistics-2013|title=Statistics|publisher=Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Afghanistan)|year=2017|access-date=May 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407123229/http://atra.gov.af/en/page/telecom-statistics-2013|archive-date=April 7, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.whitepages.af/phone-system.html |title=Whitepages.af, phone system in Afghanistan |access-date=September 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402125250/http://www.whitepages.af/phone-system.html |archive-date=April 2, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mobile communications have improved because of the introduction of wireless carriers. The first was [[Afghan Wireless]] and the second [[Roshan (telco)|Roshan]], which began providing services to all major cities within Afghanistan. There are also a number of [[VSAT]] stations in major cities such as [[Kabul]], [[Kandahar]], [[Herat]], [[Mazari Sharif]], and [[Jalalabad]], providing international and domestic voice/data connectivity. The international calling code for Afghanistan is [[Telephone numbers in Afghanistan|+93]]. The following is a partial list of mobile phone companies in the country:

*[[Afghan Telecom]] (provides [[4G]] services<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-173338 |title= Govt-Owned Telecom Company Wins Spectrum Assignment Auction |work=TOLOnews |date=6 July 2021 |access-date=2023-02-15}}</ref>)
*[[Afghan Wireless]] (provides 4G services<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ariananews.af/awcc-expands-communication-internet-services-in-southern-afghanistan/ |title=AWCC expands communication, internet services in southern Afghanistan |work=Ariana News |date=March 3, 2022 |access-date=2023-02-15}}</ref>)
*[[Etisalat]] (provides 4G services<ref name="Khaama-October 2022">{{cite news |url=https://www.khaama.com/telecommunications-company-launches-4g-services-in-western-afghanistan-57348/ |title=Telecommunications Company Launches 4G Services in Western Afghanistan |work=Khaama Press |date=October 13, 2022 |access-date=2023-02-15}}</ref>)
*[[MTN Group]] (provides 4G services)
*[[Roshan (telco)|Roshan]] (provides 4G services)
*Salaam Network (provides [[3G]] services<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.salaam.af/en |title=Salaam Network |access-date=2023-02-17}}</ref>)

All the companies providing communication services are obligated to deliver 2.5% of their income to the communication development fund annually. According to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology there are 4760 active towers throughout the country which covers 85% of the population. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology plans to expand its services in remote parts of the country where the remaining 15% of the population will be covered with the installation of 700 new towers. According to [[WikiLeaks]], phone calls in Afghanistan have been monitored by the [[National Security Agency]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-06-18 |title=Afghanistan’s journalists betrayed {{!}} Human Rights Watch |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/06/18/afghanistans-journalists-betrayed |access-date=2024-06-27 |language=en}}</ref>

==Television==
{{main|Television in Afghanistan}}
There are over 106 television operators in Afghanistan and 320 television transmitters, many of which are based Kabul, while others are broadcast from other provinces. Selected foreign channels are also shown to the public in Afghanistan, but with the use of the internet, over 3,500 international TV channels may be accessed in Afghanistan.<ref name="Archived copy">{{Cite web |url=http://atra.gov.af/en/page/telecom-statistics-2013 |title=Telecom Statistics |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407123229/http://atra.gov.af/en/page/telecom-statistics-2013 |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070607060720/http://www.moc.gov.af/ Ministry of Communications and Information Technology] (archived)

{{Afghanistan topics}}
{{Asia topic|Communications in}}
{{Telecommunications}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Communications In Afghanistan}}
[[Category:Communications in Afghanistan| ]]

[[pt:Economia do Afeganistão#Comunicações]]